Arts

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Poetry and Painting, “Perilous Journey,” to be Exhibited at Interchurch Center in New York City

My poem “Perilous Journey” will be displayed with the painting of the same name by Irene Christensen at the Galleries of the Interchurch Center, 475 Riverside Drive, New York City, from November 17, 2023 to January 4, 2024. In addition, Irene will exhibit eight accordion books (5 from inspiration from her AIRIE residency in the Everglades,Florida) and 20 oil paintings. The Interchurch Center is a a not-for-profit building built by the Rockefellers in 1950. @jrobertsstudio @norwaynewyork @gallerysitka @schaeffersgate5 @norskebilledkunstnere @nyartistscircle @culturelablic @licartists @beyond.art.oslo @nationalartsclub @artbookps1

From an Accordion Book by Irene Christensen

The painting and poem “Perilous Journey” appear in the environmental manuscript, Dreadful Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Planet.

I will refrain from blogging in December and begin again in January 2024. Happy New Year!

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Gallery of Readers Invites You to a Reading in Northampton, MA on 4 pm Sunday, November 19

Gallery of Readers presents:
Eileen P. Kennedy  and Barbara A. Rouillard reading from their work
Sunday, November 19 at 4 p.m.Northampton Friends Meeting Hall 
43 Center Street, Suite 202 Northampton, MA.
Come join us, all are welcome!
For those how can’t or prefer not to attend in person, the Zoom link below is available from 3.45 p.m. EDT on the day of the reading.(Be aware no admittance after 4.05 p.m. for security purposes.) Contact me for the link if you want to zoom. Follow me here on Thursdays.

Eileen P. Kennedy is the author of two collections of poetry: Banshees (Flutter Press, 2015), which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and won Second Prize in Poetry from the Wordwrite Book Awards, andTouch My Head Softly (Finishing Line Press, 2021) which Literary Titan has described as “emotionally-charged poetry that explores life with observant poems that will appeal to anyone who loves inspired poetry.” It was a finalist for the International Book Awards in General Poetry. She lives in Amherst, MA with the ghost of Emily Dickinson. More at EileenPKennedy.com.

Rouillard photo.jpeg

Barbara A. Rouillard, of Springfield, Massachusetts, has over eighty-five publishing credits to her name and was the recipient of both a NEH Fellowship and a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant. She received her MA in English in 2007. She was a special education teacher at West Springfield High School for thirty-two years. In her retirement, she studies French, writes, and travels with her husband William. 

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Gallery of Readers Invites Listeners to a Reading in Person or on Zoom on Sunday, November 19

Photo by Enzo Muu00f1oz on Pexels.com

Gallery of Readers, one of Western Massachusetts prime publishers and leader of writing workshops, will sponsor a reading on Sunday, November 19 at 4 pm at the Friends Meeting House of Northampton, 43 Center Street. The reading is available in person or on zoom.

Barbara A. Rouillard will read from her memoir, I Don’t Mind Waiting for You. Barbara is an award-winning writer with 85 publishing credits and the recipient of an NEH Fellowship and a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant.

Eileen P. Kennedy will be reading from her two poetry collections, Banshees (Flutter Press, 2016) Touch My Head Softly (Finishing Line Press, 2021) and her new eco-poetry manuscript Dreadful Splendor: Paintings and Poems for a New Planet which she collaborated on with the Norwegian Artist, Irene Christensen.

If you want the zoom link, contact me here. Follow me here. I blog on Thursdays.

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Ekphrastic Reading September 14 at Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery in Easthampton Massachusetts

The Easthampton Art Walk will feature works by several galleries, but Moonlit Sea Prints in Eastworks will sponsor a reading in conjunction with their Japanese Woodblock Print Show “Stories With Shotei.”

The Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery features prints by many Japanese artists, including Hiroaki Takahashi (Shotei,) Kiyoharu (Ginnosuke)Yokouchi, and Hiroshi Yoshida. The Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery curates Japanese woodblock prints that touch the soul and imagination.

I will be reading a poem about a Shotei print, “Coming Ships,” along with many other poets, like Jennifer Delozier, who will be reading about “Two Ladies Catching Fireflies.” The reading will take place at 5 pm on Thursday, September 14 at Eastworks, Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery at 116 Pleasant Street, Suite #226. It’s on the second floor, and there will be a flag signaling the gallery in the hallway. A QR code next to the prints will allow you to read the poems on your smart phone.

Hiroaki Takahashi Shotei was a Japanese woodblock print artist of the early 20th century in the shin-hanga art movement whose work generally focused around beautiful landscapes and scenes of everyday life. Many of his works are beautiful vignettes, many easily leading the viewer to imagine the stories transpiring within the images. Moonlit Sea Prints of Easthampton MA will be presenting this exhibit, “Stories with Shotei,” showcasing the works of Hiroaki Takahashi Shotei paired with short stories

The show will continue for a two-month period at Moonlit Sea Prints Gallery. I will continue to blog on Thursdays. If you have any readings coming up, let me know. I’ll blog them here.

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Anton Chekhov on Description

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” – Anton ChekhovIMG_0187

To vividly describing a place, person, or thing is to imagine it in your mind’s eye. If it exists you may prefer to look at it or a photograph. Either way, you’ll start with some scene before you without dividing it into objects or attaching any words to it. Just form an impression of the colors, textures, shapes, and feeling.

Most importantly, refrain from your impulse to name them. Just picture and observe.

Then, be careful to select the right words to convey the place. If the words that come to mind don’t seem adequate, look in a dictionary, ask around, or do some research. Be sure to keep searching until you have the closest match possible between observation and language. While it’s okay to stop short of perfection, since words and thought inevitably fail to capture perception, keep revising until you can’t think of any way to improve your description further.

Instead of allowing the meaning you want to express to decide the words, you can be seduced by alliteration, rhythm and other sonic features, or fail to escape from customary phrasing, and allow language itself to decide what it is you want to say. This is for description in fiction or nonfiction. Poetry, of course, calls out for those sonic features.

In this way your description will serve you well in your writing.

I will blog on Thursdays. Follow me here.

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Writing the Landscape II

Now I am in Costa Rica for a good part of the winter.

The landscape is very different from the Northeast where I live for the balance of the year.

I love the pre-Columbian art here. I’ve shown you an example of one piece. These vessels, figures, tools are dated before the Spanish conquest of Central and South America. These art pieces date back to then Mesoamerican period, around 10,000 BCE. They give clues to the lives of the indigenous.

For me the beauty of the landscape and the local art inspire me. I may not be writing about beauty, or even Costa Rica, but the art gives me insight into the lives of the people, just as my stories aspire to give insight.

I recently published a book of poems about my partner who died of Alzheimer’s Disease. I hope this gives insight to others in contact with people with this disease. Also part of the proceeds of the sale of the book will go to the Alzheimer’s Association to help find a cure for this dread disease. Check out my book:

https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/touch-my-head-softly-by-eileen-kennedy/

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Reading September 3 at 6:30 pm

This reading is Arts Night Out for the Emily Dickinson Museum, September 3 at 6:30 pm. I will read with two other excellent writers, Cheryl J. Fish and Kathryn Holzman.  I think I’m up third.

 

The Facebook event is here:

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/309599143564557?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22page_admin_bar%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22page_id%5C%22%3A131680596860548%7D%22%7D%2C%7B%22surface%22%3A%22events_admin_tool%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22events_admin_tool%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22[]%22%7D]%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D

 

 

Here’s the link to my new book, Touch My Head Softly

red framed eyeglasses on newspapers

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

:

 

https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/touch-my-head-softly-by-eileen-kennedy/

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Emily Dickinson Museum Reading September 3

FLP CoverI will be reading for the Emily Dickinson Museum on Thursday, September 3 at 6:30 pm in conjunction with Amherst Arts Night Out. Here’s the link to Amherst Media where you can view it:

https://amherstmedia.org/channel/15/schedule